From my eyes…

It has been close to 6 weeks since I’ve had a spare moment to spend blogging. I’ve missed it like crazy. I have all sorts of things to share. Those things of course have now slipped my mind. Instead, I thought I might just update you with short snippets of what has been going down here in J-town as the teens call Joliet.

On work:  Oh. My. Damn. I have no idea where to start with this one. Due to holidays, teacher in-service, and storm damage to our building, it has been about a month, maybe more, since I’ve worked a 5 day work week. I know to many that would be a huge blessing, and there are perks of course, but really the thought that always runs through my mind is that more time was taken from me and yet I am still held accountable for my students’ test scores come May. Sigh. Some of the more interesting/exciting/terrifying events that have happened recently include a lock-down because of a supposed gunman in the woods behind my classroom and a power outage that required me to dance around like a circus clown for three and a half hours entertaining junior high special ed boys. Again, *sigh*. What else can I do. Now the gunman thing was never proved nor found, however it did make local news because the SWAT team had been deployed to our building for hours and we had to delay dismissal, cancel our sports for the evening, and take extra precautions. It started out in a calm manner, so I didn’t panic. But it did get increasingly more tense throughout the afternoon and by the time I had a minute to reflect about it on the drive home I was very scared about what could have been. I am trying not to dwell on it and instead becoming more prepared for future incidents. Same for the power outage. I will now, for as long as I teach, have a flashlight or 5 in my classroom.  I can only imagine what tomorrow will hold.

On life: My roommate is gone a lot, which leaves me an empty home to sit and veg in. Always nice. We have been dealing with a very stressful, time consuming flea issue. Not nice. I am hoping that tonight’s predicted snow flurries will freeze the little buggers left outside and that our obsessive daily cleaning inside keeps them out of our house forever.
Other than that, all is well. I am trying Proactive. I have told a few people that I’m doing it so I can look like Jessica Simpson. Hehehe. I have no idea where it has come from, but my previously clear skin is currently playing host to EIGHT nice sized red, swollen, pimples. I swear working with the junior high kids is turning me into one!! So far I don’t love Proactive, but I don’t hate it either. I am on week two and it said three to six weeks for results. I’ll keep you posted.
I started back at the gym this week. YAY! Feeling better already and wondering if maybe the fact that I haven’t been consistently going is what’s effected my face so? Mmmm. The body is such a strange thing.
My babies are doing ok. The flea thing has been hard on me and them, because it has caused sores on them and I can’t explain what all is happening. I am glad it is ending.
Abby celebrated her 4th birthday on September 16th. I usually get them a new collar for their birthday. This is Abby’s new bling bling puppy necklace. I love it and I love it on her! It wasn’t as cheap as the ones I usually get (save the lecture, Mike already rolled his eyes and reemed me plenty for all of you), so this will have to last her a few (5 or so) years, but I don’t really care. I like it, humph. 

Ricky is officially 20 pounds now. 20.1 to be exact. They spent a lot of time at PetCo and the vet in the last few weeks and one day someone got curious and slapped his fat ass up on a scale. What to do, what to do. Too bad there’s no kitty treamill!

On weather: Snow in October? That’s the plan for tonight. We’ll see what it looks like when I wake up…..assuming I don’t freeze. I am currently wearing a long-sleeved shirt, sweatshirt, thick fuzzy socks, and pajama pants under a blanket with my legs crossed and heat producing laptop on my lap and still can’t feel my nose or finger tips.  Fall was far too quick in these parts

On relationships: I am still dating Mike. He is fabulous and I smile just thinking about how cozy I feel with him. We went to a wedding this weekend and we have a second one to attend on Saturday. We are pretty serious, and I am enjoying thinking about my future with him

On relaxing: Lots of fun things going on, but not a whole lot of actual down time where my brain doesn’t have to function. Tonight, I had to mentally schedule TV & computer time. HA! Some of the fun things I’ve done lately include a trip to the Stadium Club at the old Comisky park (now Cellular One Field) for brunch and then amazing seats for the White Sox game. A few dinners with various groups of friends &/or Mike’s family. A nephew’s (Mike’s) hockey game. A work couples get together (because oddly, there are enough couples from our work to do this). A trip to MI. A wedding. Lots of football games on Sundays at the local dive with friends. And some movies on the couch with Mike. 

I haven’t been blogging. I haven’t been taking any pictures. And until this week I hadn’t been going to the gym. I have added the gym back to my life. And I am working on finding specific time in my week for blogging and pictures. Check back soon to see if I’ve met my goal of making more time!! And please fill me in on what’s been happening in your neck of the woods

Yes, I know it has been ages since I added a new post. What have I been up to? Well, in the last weeks I’ve been busy still trying to get a job, resolving to return to my Special Ed position at the school I was at last year, starting the school year in yet another “first year” situation since they changed my grade level, spending time continuing to develop a great relationship with my boyfriend, and trying my hardest to keep up with all of the special people/ pets in my life.

So yes, I returned to my same school and I am still teaching Special Ed, but they moved me from 6th grade to 8th. The year has been fabulous so far! Night and day from last year’s hell. They are still junior highers (attitude) and most of them are boys (lots of farting and boob converstaions), but they are such a delightful bunch this year. Yay!

Life in general is going well. Mike and I continue to enjoy each other’s company and we have having fun working things out as a couple. I am happy, even when I’m irritated. It feels good to have an adult relationship without the games and all that. And he is always proving that the things I adore about him are true and get more wonderful every day.

Abby-Doo is having allergies. We visited her vet last week and got some meds to hopefully stop her nasty oily coat. Ricky is still fat and happy.

There is nothing else terribly exciting going on here in IL. I am just happy to be employed. Happy with Mike. And happy that my “babies” are doing well.

Though I had a busy, family-filled weekend, there was a lot of time to think.

I attended my Aunt’s seminary graduation and thought about life celebrations and how proud I am of the people in my life.

I also attended a funeral. My Uncle Doug, my mom’s brother-in-law, passed away after many years of health complications. He was a very sweet man who believed that God, family, and country were the foundations of life. During the funeral, my mind wandered. I listened to what the pastor was saying and I heard the words, but my multi-tasking mind was off on a second track. In my own thoughts, I was processing my surroundings and trying to figure out what was so different about this funeral compared to the too many others I’ve been to. A dark, sad realization hit me. One I can’t run from and one I can’t change. Everyone is getting older. Everyone. And this time it wasn’t an elderly grandparent, it was an uncle. Aunts and uncles are on the same plateau as parents. It wasn’t my parents in the front row sobbing, but my cousin’s, my equals. It was really hard to take in. Glancing down the rows in front of me, I realized that (assuming everyone dies of natural causes and old age) I have several more funerals to attend. Years worth of tears to shed and people to say goodbye to. My friend’s father passed away two weeks ago and then my uncle. It is starting. I am not ready for this.

This week, I drove to Garrett Evangelical School on the campus of Northwestern University in a gorgeous area of the northern Chicago suburbs. My parents (who were in town for a funeral unfortunately) and I attended my Aunt Gayle’s seminary graduation. It was a nice ceremony and they served us dinner beforehand. She was one of 6 out of the 13 in her class to graduate. Not even half of the students were able to complete the 6 year program that required them to move to school during their summers and write numerous papers all while running their own churches. I was very pleased to see that my aunt had the strength (and support from her family and friends) to be able to achieve this great goal in her life.

Sitting through the ceremony, I realized that I hardly take the time to tell my friends and family that I’m proud of them and why. So… 

To my friends & family: I am proud of you. I am proud of the way you manage your time between work, family, friends, and hobbies. I am proud of the way you never forget the things that are important and make it a point to send a card or gift when you can. I am proud that you put effort into making this world a better place for everyone. I am proud of how you see the light at the end of the tunnel, no matter how faint. I am proud that you know when to ask for help and when to let someone else lead the way or help you through. I am proud of all you’ve acheived and that you continue to strive for more. I am proud of you for standing up for what you belive in. I am proud of you for making safe and sensible decisions in your life and for the silly and spontaneous ones that make you who you are. I am proud that you know right from wrong and choose right most often. I am so proud of what your life has become and I am anxious to share in the bright future you have worked so hard for. I am proud of your kindness and sincerity. I am proud to call you friend.

Hanna plays with Ricky a lot by biting his head and such. In the end he has a flat-top hairdo. It’s kinda hard to see, but I tried to capture it on camera. You can tell by the expression on his face he is was less than thrilled with the new do.

Also added to the mix of pet chaos in this homes were the little visitors Malia and Gidget affectionately nicknamed Rat and Conehead. This is the one moment they were not trying to play with other animals in the house.

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On Sunday, my roommate Jen and I had planned to take our new boyfriends to meet one of our best friends during her layover at O’hare. There was major chaos and all plans changed and in the the end they missed their flight and needed a place to stay for the night. We made the most of it by ordering pizza and drinking some wine at the house while we visited. The kids were incredibly well behaved and the pets loved all of the added attention.

Then on Monday, I drove my friend out to a childhood home about an hour from me before we headed to catch her flight home. It was really fun to see how excited she got about it and let her take some pictures. And I loved visiting with her family.

Since she was the first to meet the new guy in my life (and jen’s), she took this picture to show our other girlfriends.

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I got a call back about a teaching job. Not a “no”, but not a “yes”. I’m still hoping for another few interviews and an offer soon. Next week starts panic mode. Eek.

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I found out this morning one of my uncles passed away in MI. I am waiting to hear from my parents, but I will be making the trip up there in the next few days.  I am sad for the circumstances of course, but looking forward to seeing my parents.

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More wedding photos have been received. Here is one of my favorites. It was just a few moments before he walked down the aisle. You wouldn’t even believe how frozen his hands were despite being in a tux outside in AZ in June.

I thought the summer would be relaxing. And mostly Monday through Friday it is. But I find myself needing more and more rest during the week to keep up with my bustling weekend plans.

Last weekend went something like this:

Friday night softball. It was a humid mess that required 5 times more work to move my body than it should have. It was a good game and I played hard, but was beat by the end of the night. Then I had (had to) join the team for a brewsky at a teammates house. It was a good time. Lots of laughs, only a few beers, and occasional slips that I am dating a co-worker. Oops.

Saturday, mud volleyball. A week prior I’d agreed to play. I was told it was only going to be in the morning, but we ended up winning and played volleyball, in mud, from 10:30 until 6:00. Whoa! Talk about a workout. This was my first time playing mud volleyball. It was disgusting and fantastic at the same time! I put my feet in and shrieked because of the gooey mud between my toes. Even the guys made comments. One side of the court was mostly water. The other side was thick mud that you could hardly move in. It got murkier and more dangerous as the day went on. By the last game 4 of the 6 of us had gashes in our feet. Mine however, did not bleed, because it got packed with mud. Ewe. I am still, a week later, doing peroxide and Neosporin treatments on it daily. Overall it was a great day! Next year I will wear water shoes.

Saturday night, with my hair caked with mud, foot stinging, shoulders red, and limbs tired as can be, I showered up and headed downtown (because I’m crazy). Then Again was playing and I’d already made plans with people before I realized that volleyball would be all day. It was a fabulous show as always and not totally packed so I could actually dance and move around and didn’t sweat even half as much.

Sunday I slept in. Then Mike and I went to get lunch out. Yum! Then he showed me where my interview was to be on Tuesday, we made a Target run, and then he took me to see Pirates 2. My interview on Tuesday was ok. I didn’t feel like I left it knowing I was going to get it and I’m nervous that I’m not interviewing well these days :(. Pirates 2 was funny. I liked it better than the first, which from talking with people I’m learning is against the majority. Which did you like better? I’m really just waiting for Spidy 3 at this point. LOVE those movies!

Starting tonight is another packed weekend. I have softball tonight (Man, am I going to be sad when it’s al over) and then a lake trip planned for tomorrow.

What are your weekend plans? Doing anything to escape the heat wave?

It has been a while since I’ve updated my blog. I’ve been having a wonderfully busy summer out and about seeing new things…

When I got home from AZ, I spent a couple of days resting and getting things in order around home. Hanna, my roommate’s dog, had moved in and I had to keep a close watch so that she didn’t eat my cat. All has worked itself out now and Hanna loves Ricky. She loves to play with him and she is always looking around the house when she can’t find him. Just this morning, I was playing in the backyard with all the pets and Hanna stole the ball from Abby and tried to give it to Ricky. I think it was as an offer to play. Too sweet. Now, if we could just get Hanna to stop barking when she is playing. Sigh.

Abby started agility school. She loves it! And is a complete natural. I love having the extra time to spend with just her. And she plays with her classmates at the neighboring park after “school”. It’s a blast!!

I had to teach summer school for two weeks. It’s over now, and my real summer can begin. The only thing I HAVE to do this month is find a job. Sigh. I interviewed for a third grade position last week. We’ll see. I’m hoping to get a few more interviews in the next week or so. Keeping my fingers crossed.

I’ve started dating a really nice guy, who’s been taking me all kinds of new places around my new city (that I’ve lived in for almost a year already! Can you believe it?). We went to Taste of Chicago last weekend. It was a lot of fun. When the breeze stopped it was a little sweaty, but we had a nice time and I got to try little bites of yummy food from different restaurants in the city. We had taken the train from Joliet into the city. That itself was a fun experience. I’d never been on a train like that in America. It was more like (similar, but not exactly the same) the Eurail. I thought it was going to be like the subway. It was comfortable and gave me the opportunity to see a totally different part of the state and was nice for us to talk and stuff. When we got bored at Taste (which is what you call it if you are from here apparently), we ventured over to Navy Pier and rode some lame 3D ride that was utterly disappointing except for the fact that we got to sit down for a little bit. After that we headed back to the train. It was just over an hour before it was going to leave, so we bought some Squirt (who doesn’t love Squirt?!) and sat on a bench for while. The bench was in the courtyard of what Mike told me was the Chicago prison. I didn’t believe him, but when I read the sign I saw that he was indeed right. It was something new, a little creepy, but new. I enjoyed it.

The next day, I went with my roommate and her work friends to Ribfest to see Better Than Ezra. It was warm and my feet were tired from the day before, but I had a good time. I thought I knew more songs from that band, but I didn’t and that made me feel totally out of it. I just stood and enjoyed the lead singer - so cute. The ribs were tasty also!

The day after Ribfest, I went to a White Sox game with Mike, his best friend CJ, and CJ’s wife Heather. It was fun. The White Sox played HORRIBLY which CJ and I (Cubbies fans) rubbed in to Heather and Mike (Sox fans), because, well, that’s what good friends do Hehehe. *sidenote - I may actually be a White Sox fan. I know their team much better and their games are actually fun to watch. The jury is still out on this, but I am feeling like the Cub decision maybe be overruled in favor of the White Sox - unless of course the Diamondbacks are playing them.

Then, I finally had to go back to work. I only had to work three days last week and one was a fieldtrip to a Jackhammers baseball game. They are a local private league team. Again, something new! It was PERRRRFECT weather for watching a game.

This weekend was much more laid back. No big events, though we did play a double header for my softball team last night. We played hard and I was sore, but I didn’t loss my temper or throw a bat this week (last week I was somewhat of a bad sport), and I did manage to cover some errors of my teammates even if I only got two good hits….whatever. It’s just for fun (which I have to keep reminding myself).

Playing on my softball has reignited my passion for the game. I’ve DVRed some Chicago Bandits games, and Mike and I are going to a game on Thursday when they play AZ. I’m trying desparately to find a place to coach. And I’m working on putting together a womens team, so I can play more often. It is frustrating though, to play and know my brain knows what to do, but my body doesn’t always do it. Makes me sad. Like I just want to say, but I CAN do that. I know how and I’m good at it, but my muscles aren’t always accomodating that. Hopefully playing more will help that and coaching may just fulfill that need I feel to do well at the game.

Still absolutely loving the weather here. I’ve never considered summer one of my favorite seasons. In fact, I’ve always thought I could just do without it. But after this past few weeks here, sigh, I just love it. I’m constantly seraching out activities outside and more excited to get the dogs out than they are I thinK! It truly is a blessing to not be battling my allergies constantly. I just don’t think I’ll ever get over how much has opened up to me since I don’t have to think about allergies or be doped up on Benadryl everyday, all day.

I’ve still got plenty going on while this fabulous weather lasts. On the agenda this month include, getting back to the gym (my pulled quad is finally healed at about 95% which is great), hitting up Great America a few times, camping, pets’ birthdays (they’re turning 4 already!), another trip to see Then Again, and whatever else I can come up with.

I hope you are enjoying your summer as much as I am! If you have an good ideas for outdoors things I can get into, leave me a comment

It’s over. He did it. My little brother is married. The ceremony was beautiful with a lot of personal touches including their blankies tied in a knot (haha) over the altar. Heather did not plan her wedding this way, it was the clever pastor who though this one up. It was great. And my brother looked and acted old. And Heather was smiling ear to ear all day. The reception was fun (too much wine, but a lot of fun). The DJ had a lot of energy and got the group dancing. I think everyone had a blast. I took some pictures, but was too chaky during the ceremony itself. I left those to the wedding photographer and my Uncle Gregg. I hope to see those soon. Until then, I have my few like the one below online here.

In other news, I am back in IL and loving to be with my pets again. I just signed Abby up for beginner agility classes. We start next week and I can’t even tell you how excited I am! It’s going to be great and if you live in IL you will be expected to be at any recital type thing we have (Hint: That’s you, Gustkes!). I also found a summer camp I’ll be saving for to take Abby to next year. Seriously, how cool does this look!

I am still trying to land a teaching job for next year. I’ve applied and applied, so now I can only wait. Sigh. That’s very hard for a type A person to do. Eek!

This weekend me and the “kids” are headed up north to my aunt and uncle’s abode. We’ll hang out there a bit and then I am going to the car races with my cousins while my aunt “baby-sits”. I’ve never been, and though I prefer Indy cars to Nascar, it’ll be exciting to be in the environment.

I hope you’ve been well!

I am still enjoying the spring weather. So nice. This past weekend was a blur. It started with an after school fieldtrip with my tutoring group to the Joliet Historical Museum. I loved it. It was HUGE for such a small little town, and I learned a lot about the early years of Joliet, IL. Then it was off to let Abby out quickly and back in the car to make my way to Milwaukee. I drove up to Milwaukee to meet up with my best friend and her parents. We had a few beers and got to catch up. It was a great time as always.

I had plans early on Saturday, so I got up early and began to make my way home. Long story short, my drive was extended by over and hour due to several stops for me to stop and get sick. Gross. I thought it was because I took some meds that didn’t react right or something, but it wasn’t. I ended up sleeping the entire time my roommate was at a jewelry party I was sad to miss (but she did order me the earrings I wanted). I was feeling better for the evening plans - a company party with my roommate downtown. I had a nice time, but wished I was feeling better so I could have danced and socialized a little more. I -if you can even belive this - sat quiet most of the night just listening to conversation. I spent Sunday running some errands and resting. I feel better today, so I had to go to work Only 35 more teaching days left though. Yahoo!!

Now, I am resting again and looking forward to another weekend full of plans. I have Friday and Monday off. YAY! And my parents are coming for the weekend. We’re going to my favorite restaurant, taking my dog for a walk, and visiting with relatives.

Ah, spring. It’s here, if only for today (the weather report was that it will be back to 40 tomorrow), but the windows are open, the breeze is gentle and the birds are chirping like crazy. It’s in the 60’s here today and I am loving it. Spring Break has been fabulous. I haven’t accomplished much more than relaxing and forgetting about my daily life, but all of it has been enjoyable. Tomorrow is reserved for chores and such, but until then, I am going to continue my “vacation” mind set.

I visited with some relatives this week. I spent two nights at my Aunt and Uncle’s house. I took both babies and relaxed. We went shopping, ate at some great restaurants, and toured their area. I learned that they live only 6 miles south of Great America. I’m already planning on buying my season pass. I can’t wait!!

I also got a great gift. My first real Coach bag. It’s adorable and I can’t wait to break it in. Thanks again Uncle Boyd